Cork school celebrates 50 years since amalgamation with a trip down memory lane 

St Colman’s National School in Cloyne celebrated the 50th anniversary of the amalgamation of the boys’ and girls’ school with several events earlier this month.

The Cork national school commenced the celebrations with a commemorative walk from the old boys and girls school sites in the village to the current school site.

The current pupils replicated the exact same walk former students did 50 years ago when the two schools merged into one co-educational school in Cloyne.

A celebration was then held in the school following the commemorative walk, as past pupils, teachers, and members of the community all gathered to mark reaching the significant milestone.

Eileen Beecher, who is a teacher in St Colman’s NS said it was a very special day. “The celebrations were fabulous. The good weather really helped. We had plenty of visitors to the school on the day. The two previous principals of the girls and boys national school visited. Anne McAuliffe was the principal of the girl’s school and Michael O’Brien was the principal of the boy’s school. It was a very special day,” she said.

Ms Beecher said there have only been two principals of St Colman’s NS since it went co-educational. “Michael O’Brien served as the first principal. Our current principal, Mary O’Brien, subsequently took over from Michael. 

"There have only been two principals of the national school since it went co-educational.” 

The celebrations started with the current students staging an enactment of the walk which was undertaken through the village by the primary school students from their respective schools 50 years ago said the teacher. “The girls walked up one side of the street and the boys walked up the other side. The girls went to the location of the old girl’s school and the boys went to the location of the old boys’ school. The kids were so excited, and we had a garda escort."

“50 years ago, the boys and girls from the actual schools would have done this same walk. They would have walked down from the school buildings to the new school building, so we did a enactment. The junior infant students were singing happy birthday to the school. It is nice to mark milestone achievements,” she said.

“We came back to the school and the celebrations continued,” said Ms Beecher. “The school choir sang, and Ms O’Brien said a few words. We had an ice-cream van for the children. All the parents and local community were invited to the school for tea and refreshments. People chatted away and caught up with old friends. We have three staff members who would have been part of the old girls’ and boys’ primary school and they remember doing that walk 50 years ago. They are Norma Murray, Ger O’Brien, and Dermot O’Shea.” 

The primary school teacher paid tribute to the community in Cloyne for their support. “The community are great to support the school. The people in the community are fantastic. We are just after opening a new extension this year. The school is growing all the time. We currently have over 300 students.” Extracurricular activities are always promoted in the co-educational primary school said Ms Beecher. 

“We always promote sport, music, and athletics in the school. Extracurricular activities are so important. We had a county champion at the recent Cork Primary School Sports. The kids are brilliant. We have had a great 50 years so far and we are looking forward to another successful 50 years.”